Detente Era 1963-1984

Question 1

What was the period from the Cuban Missile Crisis until 1975 known as? Why?

Answer 1

The ‘Long Peace’ due to the stabilization of relations that amounted to détente

Question 2

What were US aims for détente?

Answer 2

To stabilize Europe in order to focus on conflict in Vietnam

Question 3

Why did the USSR want détente?

Answer 3

It was distracted by rivalry with China

Question 4

What did French and other European powers want from détente?

Answer 4

To assert their independence from the superpowers

Question 5

Why was there rivalry between the USSR and China 1963-1984?

Answer 5

Although they were both Communist, Mao thought the Soviets were appeasers of Capitalism while the Soviets felt the Chinese wanted to overthrow them as the leading Communist state

Question 6

In what year was a Sino-Soviet border conflict fought?

Answer 6

1969

Question 7

What had happened in the Vietnam war by 1966?

Answer 7

• the US had put over 500,000 troops in South Vietnam to contain the spread of Communism from the North
• had fought a bitter guerrilla war with Vietcong fighters that caused loss of morale, life and support
• lost respect with NATO allies

Question 8

What year did the US pull out of Vietnam?

Answer 8

1972

Question 9

What year did North Vietnam invade the South?

Answer 9

1975

Question 10

How did the US exploit the Sino-Soviet split?

Answer 10

President Nixon visited Mao in 1972 and agreed to rapprochement in relations, made USSR seek improved relations

Question 11

Test Ban Treaty - when, what, who

Answer 11

Signed in 1963, banned nuclear tests underwater, atmosphere and outer space. Signed by Britain, USSR and US but not France or China

Question 12

Non-Proliferation Treaty - when, what, who

Answer 12

Signed in July 1968, pledged to not transfer nuclear weapons to other countries or assist manufacture, signed by US, Britain, USSR and FRG

Question 13

SALT (I) - when, what

Answer 13

Signed May 1972, froze construction of missile launchers, intercontinental, submarine launched ballistic missiles and long-range bombers

Question 14

How was SALT (I) different for the USSR and US? How was it the same?

Answer 14

USSR allowed more missiles as US had more MIRVs that could hit multiple targets
Only allowed two anti-ballistic missile screens ensuring MAD

Question 15

What was SALT (II)?

Answer 15

Created in June 1979 with further limitations, but US never ratified the Treaty as Soviets invaded Afghanistan

Question 16

What year did France withdraw from NATO? Why? What did this cause?

Answer 16

• 1966
• Tried to weaken US financially in order to enhance national prestige and end ‘bloc mentality’
• Almost led to US withdrawing from Europe but President Johnson persuaded Senate to maintain presence due to negotiations with Brezhnev over arms limitations

Question 17

What was Ostpolitik and why was it used?

Answer 17

• West Germany recognized division of Europe and post-war borders to gain better relations, and set up trading routes to Yugoslavia and Romania
• Because had long-term goal to reunite with East and believed in détente this was the best policy to follow

Question 18

Hamel Report - when, what

Answer 18

In 1967, committed NATO to defending West but reaching détente with East

Question 19

Bucharest Declaration - what

Answer 19

Tried to stop independent initiatives between satellite states and the West through the Bucharest Declaration, which tried to define what the whole bloc wanted from détente

Question 20

Who was Alexander Dubcek and what did he want?

Answer 20

In January 1968 became leader of the Czech Communist Party, wanted to change their system to become more democratic and independent of the USSR

Question 21

What was the ‘Prague Spring’?

Answer 21

A programme for change unveiled by Dubcek that opened the door to westernization and abolished censorship, which led to anti-Soviet propaganda

Question 22

How did the ‘Prague Spring’ end?

Answer 22

On 21-22 August 1968 twenty divisions of the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia and ended the Prague Spring

Question 23

How did the Prague Spring cause the Brezhnev Doctrine?

Answer 23

Brezhnev justified the invasion of Czechoslovakia as a threat to socialism in one country was a threat to the others. This therefore meant collective intervention was justified, which then became the Brezhnev Doctrine

Question 24

How did Willy Brandt gain other nations’ support for Ostpolitik?

Answer 24

Emphasized he did not want to leave NATO or EC

Question 25

Moscow Treaty - when, who, what

Answer 25

• August 1970, signed by FRG and USSR
• declared they had no territorial claims and the Polish border was ‘inviolable’
• the Soviets had their Empire recognized but conceded the FRG had the right to work for unification

Question 26

What did the Warsaw and Prague Treaties see similar agreements for?

Answer 26

Poland and Czechoslovakia

Question 27

Four-Power Treaty - where, when, what, who

Answer 27

• In Berlin, September 1971
• USSR allowed unimpeded traffic between West Berlin and FRG, recognition of ties between two and right of West Berliners to visit East
• US, UK and France agreed West Berlin not legally part of FRG

Question 28

The Basic Treaty - when, what

Answer 28

December 1972, FRG recognized GDR as equal and sovereign state, each represented in UN

Question 29

How did the FRG believe people would leave the GDR after the Basic Treaty?

Answer 29

FRG insisted it still considered citizens of GDR to be German citizens, and hoped magnetic social and economic forces of West would draw them across

Question 30

When were the Helsinki Accords signed?

Answer 30

August 1975

Question 31

What were the three ‘baskets’ of the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 31

Basket one - insisted on peaceful settling of disputes and inviolability of borders
Basket two - stressed cooperation in science, technology and the environment
Basket three - called for cooperation in humanitarian and cultural areas

Question 32

How did some hardliners view the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 32

Hardliners like Ronald Reagan saw it as a ‘new Yalta’ accepting Soviet abuses

Question 33

What did supporters of the Helsinki Accords believe it would do?

Answer 33

They believed it was a ‘time bomb’ in the heart of the Soviet Empire undermining them

Question 34

What destroyed the nuclear disarmament during the ‘Long Peace’?

Answer 34

• In 1976, the Soviets placed SS-20 medium range nuclear missiles in central Europe which damaged relations
• In 1983, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan which destroyed détente, the US put Pershing and Cruise Missiles in Europe

Question 35

What were the different opinions in the West about treatment towards the East after the Long Peace?

Answer 35

• Margaret Thatcher supported the strong stance taken by Reagan against the USSR
• the FRG and France were determined not to derail Ostpolitik

Question 36

Explain Solidarity

Answer 36

• in 1980 strikes broke out in the shipyards of Gdansk over price increases
• the Polish government recognised the Solidarity movement as an independent trade union
• Membership of Solidarity rose to 8 million and it began to dismantle the Communist party organization from within
• the US warned against Soviet intervention, saying the Polish should sort it out themselves
• this gave new leader Jaruzelski the green light to declare martial law
• in October 1982 Solidarity was outlawed
• the FRG went out of their way not to criticize the suppression of Solidarity in order to maintain détente, unlike the UK and US